Citation for published item:tquinD F eF nd eugrdeD gF iF nd qllipoliD hF nd ollD hF qF @PHHWA 9he strength of unstilised rmmed erth mterilsF9D q¡ eotehniqueFD SW @SAF ppF RVUERWHF Further information on publisher's website: httpXGGdxFdoiForgGIHFITVHGgeotFPHHUFHHIPW Publisher's copyright statement:Additional information: Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. Rammed earth is a manufactured material comprising sand, gravel and clay, which is compacted between forms to build walls. Primarily a historic method of construction, it is now receiving considerable interest worldwide owing to its zero reliance on materials such as cement, and its potential for recycling. Despite its longevity, the source of its shear strength is poorly understood. This paper presents initial laboratory test results that point to the main source of strength in rammed earth being suction, and indicating that recent advances in unsaturated soil mechanics may also be applied to this material.

No abstract

Earth building is experiencing a renaissance due to the emerging recognition of the damage the construction industry is doing to the global environment. Research over the past three decades has identified the hygroscopic nature of these materials, and our understanding of the factors governing their hydromechanical properties is now mature. However, little work has been done to unify methods to assess material durability: namely, how exposure to degrading agents, predominantly water, impacts a structure's service life. Although strength is usually of primary concern to engineers, it is undeniable that earthen structures usually fail due to durability, rather than strength, issues. As earthen architecture and demands made of the material become more ambitious, the need for robust guidelines on how to predict the longevity of these structures becomes paramount.This paper presents a framework for assessing the durability of earthen materials based on perceived routes of exposure to water. The framework is built upon the findings of a review of nearly 60 articles discussing original durability testing programmes, comprising 118 investigations and almost 700 soil and stabiliser combinations. From these works, 12 assessment methodologies were

Publisher's copyright statement:Additional information: Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. AbstractRammed earth has been used by man for thousands of years and is currently experiencing a revival in some parts of the world as a result of its inherent sustainability.Historic rammed earth structures are scattered around the world and much information can be derived from these structures to inform the development of modern rammed earth. This paper provides a chronological study of rammed earth distribution through observation of monumental buildings to aid the study of this building technique. It is shown that the rammed earth technique is likely to have originated independently in China and around the Mediterranean, and spread through the movement of people and ideas to many other parts of the world. Through observation of historic rammed earth sites, geographical and climatic limits can be placed on the extent of rammed earth.The different ways rammed earth has been used over time are explored, culminating in its current incarnation as a sustainable building material. Running headA chronological description of rammed earth

No abstract

No abstract

This paper examines the possible causes of damage to historic rammed earth structures based on a case study of a medieval and later building, formerly a preceptory of the Military Orders, in the village of Ambel in Aragon, north-east Spain. Structural and water-based mechanisms of damage are reviewed and an engineering basis for the cause of damage is proposed. Since a number of repair strategies have already been attempted on this structure, their effectiveness is also discussed. A four storey granary at the north-east corner of the preceptory complex is described in detail since it encapsulates many damage mechanisms and repair strategies which are common to historic rammed earth. The granary tower has a random rubble foundation, which is probably in part the remains of previous building, with rammed earth walls for the three storeys above. This rammed earth was originally rendered and scored to imitate fired brick but almost all of this has now fallen away. The gable end of the building has fired brick quoins, and now leans outwards slightly at the head of the wall. There is evidence of water damage because the building was neglected in the past, though not enough to initiate collapse. Structural and water based damage mechanisms are identified, and example repair strategies used at Ambel are described.

No abstract